Time To Move On: How To Get A Job In A New City

Making the decision to move to a new city requires a lot of soul searching, consideration and planning to make things work out seamlessly. There is the proper way of doing things, which includes, but is not limited to, visiting the potential new jurisdiction of residence, attending networking functions and/or joining list-serves that offer important information about a particular city and all that is has to offer and consulting with friends and family who may just happen to live there.

Even if you do all of the above, the most important factor for relocation is getting a new job there before you move. This would make all of the sense in the world, right?

Well, sometimes, it doesn’t work that way.

I moved to New York City with no job and no prospects, $2,500 to my name, 2 line sisters as roommates and lots of prayers and well wishes from my friends and family. As soon as I learned that I passed the New York Bar Exam, I stepped out on faith and just left Houston, TX. Faith pushed me to move to this city, since I always wanted to reside in it and faith (and a few coins here and there from my mother) kept me here despite the many trials and tribulations I have experienced, especially in the workforce. I ultimately landed a gig about three months after moving to New York and I have not looked back since.

There is no “one way” of achieving a particular goal, so if you are desiring to move to a new city, and you ain’t bout that “Living On A Prayer” life, as far as employment is concerned, here are a few tips to search for that ultimate job that will allow you to make moves:

1. Make the decision and stick to it.

Do not let the opinions of others sway you! After expressing my desire to move to New York to a friend who lived in Houston, he snidely replied, “Why be a little fish in a big pond, when you can be a big fish in a little pond. Baby girl, you ain’t ready for New York.” Big city living in over priced/under spaced cities is not for everybody. The same can be said for those who prefer living in nicely manicured neighborhoods where everyone has a fence and a driveway. Your preference is your preference, so stick to it.

2. Start asking around.

Put it out there to everyone you know, and their networks as well, that you are looking to make a move to a new city and you are searching for a new job. With social media, yahoo and What’s App groups, keeping everyone connected, it takes no time to reach out to former classmates and colleagues in that city about any opportunities within their company.

3. Update your resume and LinkedIn profile.

If you are applying to jobs, be certain to include language that you are open to relocation. You may also want to include under your current address that you will be relocating to that particular city in the near future. (i.e. – “Relocating to Charlotte, NC Winter 2015”) or set your profile to state that you actually live in the area in which you are attempting to move to.

4. Seek recruiters in the area.

It is very easy to find anything you need on the Internet. Do a thorough search for recruiters in both the city and fields you are interested in. Reach out to them and let them know you plans and interests as it pertains to landing a new job. Recruiters are always looking for new talent, so you may be just the phone call or email they were waiting on!

5. Save money for travel.

Every job will not pay for your travel to come in for an interview and some jobs will not entertain the idea of a Skype interview either. To ensure you are ready for action once you get that call to come in, have a few coins saved up just in case you have to call in sick to your present job to hop on a red-eye to your destiny.